Jeanne's Appalachian Trail Adventure

I made pink bear stickers to distinguish my hiking items from the other backpackers. Most of us buy the same or similar brands and mine will probably stand out.  I chose the bear theme because it's cute and I hope to see lots of bears on the trail. Maybe I got a little carried away with this theme. To others it might seem childish and ridiculous. I choose to think joyous and fun! As they say in the hiking world, hike your own hike. I used pink because the 2022 AT backpack tag is fuchsia pink.  Of course there may be another reason... pink is my favorite color. And well, bears are bears! And you know, it just has to be said, "DA BEARS". Sometimes, you never grow up.  Btw, turns out ironing pink bears onto Ultra Light dry bags is NOT a brilliant idea. Too low heat, it doesn't stick. When you turn the heat up and finally get it to stick, it melts your dry bag!  Luckily, I only tried it on my smallest dry bag.  Bear Canister - I keep my food in here.  The bears...

  Training for the Appalachian Trail began last summer.. There is a mile long, steep hill, close to my house, that provides a perfect way to build up endurance. I tried to hike a local trail once a week. A snowstorm in December was the perfect opportunity to test my cold weather gear. I was able to practice setting up and sleeping in my tent. It was 19 degrees that night. Brrr. To be honest, I was a little chilly. I now know to wear an extra layer of clothing to bed. My 15 degree sleeping bag worked though! I tested my micro spikes on some snow and ice. I walked up sledding hills and then icy trails.  Worked like a charm.  The only time I felt myself about to slip was when the snow started to melt and it stuck to bottom.  I learned if this happens, you occasionally have to kick the snow buildup off the bottom of your boots. I'm very happy with my choice and feel they will be an asset to my gear. Lunch in a scenic setting This is a street close to my home. It's a mile...